Using the Tarot for Creativity and Empowerment

The Artist’s Way & Tarot: Falling Into the Virtue Trap

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We continue working with Week 5 of The Artist’s Way in which Julia talks about the Virtue Trap and how many of us have made a virtue out of deprivation. We take on the long-suffering artist persona and in the process, sabotage ourselves. Instead of giving ourselves the creative solitude we need – that our inner artist needs – we try to “fit in” our creative work when we have time.

Juliet quotes the following from Toni Morrison:

We are traditionally rather proud of ourselves for having slipped creative work in there between the domestic chores and obligations. I’m not sure we deserve such big A-pluses for that.

But refusing to give ourselves this much-needed quiet and/or creative time, we deprive our artist of what it needs – regular time for creative solitude, time that Julia refers to as period of recharging. Without it, our inner artist becomes depleted.

So how do we fall into this Virtue Trap? By denying this alone time for ourself because we feel that doing so would make us appear selfish. How can I take time away from my family and friends? What kind of person would I be if I slink off to my room every day to be alone?

Naturally, we all strive to be good to be nice, to be unselfish. But to deny ourselves this necessary time is self-destructive. That is to say, we are self-destructive to our true nature. Fearing to appear selfish and/or irresponsible, we lose our true self. While it certainly is important to be responsible, we can go overboard with this responsibility. Nobody benefits when we deny our true self or repeatedly deny our artistic/creative side. We also have to be responsible to our inner artist – to give it the necessary creative time it needs.

This theme can also pertain to our Tarot work as well. Many of us feel guilty for setting aside alone time to work with and/or study the cards. We don’t want to take time away from our family or friends, even though we have an intense inner desire to continue with our Tarot studies. Deep down, it’d important to us. We might even feel that it’s a part of us, a part that we often deny or shove aside.

How is fear of appearing irresponsible affecting my willingness to nurture my artist?

How do I break out of this rut?

First step I need to take

Journal about the cards that came up in this reading and what you will do to begin making time for your creative or personal studies. Schedule in this creative time every day on your calendar and stick to it.

Artist’s Way Task: Forbidden Joys

List 10 things you love a would love to do but don’t allow yourself to do. Julia uses the following as an example:

Go dancing

Carry a sketchbook

Roller-skate

Buy new cowboy boots

Streak your hair blond

Go on vacation

Take flying lessons

Move to a bigger place

Direct a play

Take a life drawing class

Julia states that very often, the act of writing out our list of forbidden joys helps to break down those internal barriers to doing them. Once you’ve created your list, post it somewhere where you can see it.

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